"It feels like your own," said Anthony Johnson, a running back for the six-man Bible Heritage Christian School Eagles. "You respect it more. It gives you more pride in your home field."

Johnson, a running back who last year amassed more than 1,700 all-purpose yards and scored 38 touchdowns, helped his coaches and teammates build a metal concession stand and press box last summer at Bible Heritage's stadium behind the private school on Republic Avenue.

"It was a two-story building, and we had to make sure the welded beams fit into the holes (in the ground) and that all the beams were level," Johnson said. "We had to pull up some of the beams and dig deeper on one side until it was just right.

"Then we had to put siding, insulation and wiring in the building. It turned out real nice."

Over the last two years, the Eagle coaches and players have worked on the field's playing surface, often pulling rocks out of newly delivered dirt.

"Every time we called Anthony to come up and help, he did," said Tim McGee, the Eagles head coach. "Some kids would make an excuse not to come up during the summer."

At Bible Heritage's first home game after last year's Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Johnson sang "God Bless America" prior to kickoff.

At one home game later in the year no one could find the taped music of the "The Star-Spangled Banner," so McGee asked Johnson to sing it.

"It actually helped me a lot as far as getting ready to play," said the 5-foot-8, 140-pound senior. "It gave me a lot more adrenalin."

I was a lot more pumped up after I sang."

Johnson, who began singing in church at age 6, also sang in a wedding this summer. He sings so well that others often ask his mother, Orfy, if her son has had voice lessons.

"He hasn't had voice lessons, music lessons or acting lessons except in drama class at school," said Orfy Johnson, who calls her son a perfectionist. "He just has a lot of talent in just about anything. He can't read music, but he can play the saxophone, piano or guitar by ear.

"And he can draw beautifully. Whatever he looks at, he can draw it."

Anthony Johnson becomes an actor when the school does a benefit play. He also carries a 3.7 grade-point average and was elected senior class president.